Merge Replication - Not Working

Hi,
I have the following setup Merge replication with Web Synchronization:
Server: SQL Server 2005
Subscriber: SQL Server Express edition

The system uses parametrized filters based on HOST_NAME and I have selected 'Automatically define a partition and generate a snapshot when a new subscriber tries to synchronize'

To reduce the size of the initial snapshot I have selected to 'compress' the snapshot files.

It works fine in most of the cases but sometimes when I initialize a new subscriber, replication process fails with the error:

Message
Replication-Replication Merge Subsystem: agent 25BCC8D2-968E-4CEE-B408-2DEF3210F682 failed. The Merge Agent failed to retrieve the snapshot schema script file '\db101BQ_REPL_SHAREuncDB101_BQDB_QA_BQ_WEB_REPL20070411090593dynsnapvalidation.tok'. Run the Snapshot Agent to regenerate the snapshot files for this publication.

If I regenerate the snapshot for the subscriber, and then replicate again it works fine. This is turning out to be an issue as I have to compress the snapshot files as they are huge.

And I cannot use 'Initializing a subscription without snapshot' due to this error: <http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn/ShowPost.aspx?postid=1458147&siteid=1>

Help me

PS: (Applied SP2 Patch, but the problem still persists) and the process works fine if i use pusg subscription

For reference here is the t-sql subscription code, and the vb.net that initiates replication:




Code Snippet

use [BQ_DEV_CLIENT]
exec sp_addmergepullsubscription
@publisher = N'DB101-EQA-SCL',
@publication = N'BQ_PUB',
@publisher_db = N'BQDB',
@subscriber_type = N'Anonymous',
@subscription_priority = 0,
@description = N'',
@sync_type = N'Automatic'
GO

exec sp_addmergepullsubscription_agent
@publisher = N'DB101-EQA-SCL',
@publisher_db = N'BQDB',
@publication = N'BQ_PUB',
@distributor = N'DB101-EQA-SCL',
@distributor_security_mode = 1,
@distributor_login = N'user',
@distributor_password = N'user',
@enabled_for_syncmgr = N'False',
@alt_snapshot_folder = N'',
@working_directory = N'',
@use_ftp = N'False',
-- @job_login = null,
-- @job_password = null,
@publisher_security_mode = 1,
@publisher_login = N'user',
@publisher_password = N'user',
@use_interactive_resolver = N'False',
@dynamic_snapshot_location = N'',
@use_web_sync = 1,
@internet_url = N'https://company/BQREPL/replisapi.dll',
@internet_login = N'USIRU01',
@internet_password = N'pass',
@internet_security_mode = 0,
@internet_timeout = 1800,
@hostname = 'MY_MACHINE'
GO


VB.net code:

Dim subSqlCon As SqlConnection = New SqlConnection(m_subSqlConStr)
Dim pubSqlCon As SqlConnection = New SqlConnection(m_pubSqlConStr)
Dim subscriberConn As ServerConnection = New ServerConnection(subSqlCon)
Dim publisherConn As ServerConnection = New ServerConnection(pubSqlCon)

subscriberConn.Connect()
Dim subscription As MergePullSubscription = New MergePullSubscription(m_subscriberDBName, m_publisherMachineName, m_publisherDBName, m_publicationName, subscriberConn)

If subscription.LoadProperties() Then
If Not subscription.PublisherSecurity Is Nothing Then
Dim agent As MergeSynchronizationAgent = subscription.SynchronizationAgent

agent.DistributorSecurityMode = SecurityMode.Standard
agent.DistributorPassword = m_distributorPassword
agent.DistributorLogin = m_distributorUserName

agent.PublisherSecurityMode = SecurityMode.Standard
agent.PublisherPassword = m_publisherPassword
agent.PublisherLogin = m_publisherUserName


'Set the event handler to capture output messages
AddHandler agent.Status, New AgentCore.StatusEventHandler(AddressOf Me.agent_Status)

agent.Synchronize()
End if